New Jersey Career Profile: Pharmacists and the Science of Pharmaceuticals

New Jersey Career Profile: Pharmacists and the Science of Pharmaceuticals

Pharmacists are health professionals who distribute prescription drugs to individuals. They also advise their patients, physicians, and other health practitioners in disease state management and on the selection, dosages, interactions, and side effects of prescription medications.

Pharmacists also monitor the health and progress of those patients to ensure that they are using their medications safely and effectively.

As a pharmacist, you can be expected to work in any of the following settings:

Hospitals

Drug stores, or grocery stores

Pharmaceutical manufacturers

Health insurance companies

Government agencies

Public health care agencies

Colleges and universities (in teaching and research positions, or in on-campus pharmacies)

Most full-time pharmacists work 40 hours per week. Pharmacists should plan on being available to work some evenings and weekends, as many pharmacies are open during these hours.

Training and Education

Pharmacist and Pharmacy Techniciantraining programs are offered by many institutions including hospitals, the military, proprietary schools, vocational schools, technical colleges, and community colleges. Many pharmacies offer on-the-job training programs, and school training programs usually work in conjunction with pharmacies to provide real-word experience through externships.

Technician training programs offered both online and on campus prepare students for entry-level positions in the pharmacy field.

Pharmacist Licensing

A license to practice pharmacy is required in all 50 states. To obtain a license, you must successfully complete an accredited PharmD program and pass the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and The Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE).

Pharmacy Schools in New Jersey

Sanford Brown Institute
The Pharmacy Technician program at Sanford-Brown Institute, Monroeville (SBI) provides students with the technical and practical training necessary for work as an entry-level assistant to a licensed pharmacist.